Recently the White House released a roadmap that will expand the federal collection of data about sexual orientation and gender identity in order to advance equity for LGTBQI+ Americans. However, advances in measurement will be needed at all levels, including at universities. The management adage that you can’t improve what you don’t measure applies to . . .
Topics related to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit, and the countless affirmative ways in which people choose to self-identify.
The recent terrifying shooting in a Colorado nightclub underscores the vulnerability of transgender and LGBTQIA-diverse peoples and the urgent need for better measures to ensure inclusion and safety. According to the Equity and Inclusion Vocabulary [https://www.mtu.edu/diversity-center/resources/vocabulary/] resource from the Michigan Tech Center for Diversity and Inclusion, “Identifying as transgender, or trans, means that one’s internal . . .
Creating more inclusive academic communities and making equity and diversity hallmarks of campus culture are lofty goals. What are the actual practices that can make such goals concrete features of university life? A recent essay in CBE-Life Sciences Education makes the case that inclusivity requires thoughtful, proactive strategies. Specifically, the authors advance fourteen actionable recommendations . . .
This last month, President Biden signed an Executive Order Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) in the Federal Government. The premise is based upon public servants reflecting the communities they serve; this has parallels in academia as well. ADVANCE at Michigan Tech is very encouraged by these measures to assess DEIA in the workforce . . .
LGBTQ scientists experience career-damaging harassment according to the largest-ever survey recently published in AAAS’s Science Advances and featured in Nature. The study of thousands of US-based researchers finds that those from sexual and gender minorities are more likely to experience workplace prejudice and harassment, fewer career opportunities and fewer resources. Further, LGBTQ individuals experience greater . . .
Invisibility. Both gender and sexual minorities in STEM experience invisibility on a regular basis at their universities, in their laboratories, and even in the classroom. To alleviate these inequities and foster an environment of inclusion within the STEM community, it is important to listen to the “invisible” voices. In today’s edition of the ADVANCE Weekly . . .